Bradshaw Broadsided
Dorian “The Trashman” Colbert, Rosterwatch.com

In a somewhat surprising move to many, the New York Giants released veteran running back Ahmad Bradshaw today. Six seasons into his career, the once fleet-footed Bradshaw has been plagued by foot injury after foot injury, and won’t be useful to anyone until April on account of recent, you guessed it, foot surgery. Still, there is no doubt he’ll be picked up hastily by a team needing a decent back.

Off the top of my head, teams like the Jets and Cardinals come to mind, but both of these teams are facing salary cap issues that would make acquiring his services unlikely. Teams with cap space who could use a player like Bradshaw would be Cincinnati, which has $32 million to spend in order to reach the new “salary floor” that will be instituted in 2013 per the new collective bargaining agreement. With every running back on the roster scheduled to hit free agency outside of Dan Herron, Bradshaw would make an excellent complement to Benjarvus Green-Ellis, and keep tread off of both players’ tires. Green Bay also has a running back need, and has proven to be an offense capable of winning games while utilizing their runners in much-less-bruising 16-18-carry-per-game fashion.

Sure, Bradshaw has topped a thousand yards just once in his career (2010), but he came close in 2012 (908 yds) and he’s only 27—no spring chicken in NFL RB years, but not exactly a senior citizen. The only thing standing in between another grand on the ground is his meddlesome foot.

The Giants will be left with David Wilson, Andre Brown, and Da’Rel Scott, with Wilson as the supposed starter. We’ve seen what Wilson can do with the ball in limited action this season past, averaging 5.5 yds when he gets more than 10 carries. The Giants seem to have faith, and Wilson could be a major value pick in fantasy leagues this year, as the sky is the limit regarding his upside. Fantasy owners need to remember that Andre Brown was a major TD vulture in 2012, though, reeling off eight before breaking his leg.

The Giants made sure they re-signed Brown before cutting the cord on Bradshaw, and if Wilson doesn’t show he can pick up protections as a pass-blocker and be better at holding onto the football, Brown may provide the best value of all when 2013 fantasy drafts come around.